Kudos to Stitches magazine for a great article they did this month on a growing sustainability movement by apparel suppliers to help shore up eco practices for the benefit of the planet. Called “Sense and Sustainability,” staff writer Chris Ruvo highlights how hard some wearable suppliers are working to ensure sustainability … and to make this world a better place.

I highly recommend this article, and in the meantime here are 6 questions you can ask suppliers to ascertain if they’re really taking sustainability seriously:

Do you have a formal, written internal policy that describes how you expect manufacturing partners to treat their workers and/or minimize the environmental impact of the apparel creation process? If so, how do you ensure standards are met?

Are there particular steps you’ve taken or systems you’ve put in place to mitigate the impact of manufacturing and transporting apparel on the planet?

What charities, nonprofits and/or humane organizations do you support? Are you involved in community outreach?

Do you produce an annual corporate social responsibility report that’s available for view?